Pritam Singh unlikely to lose parliamentary seat due to criminal charges, experts say

Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh was charged in court on March 19 with two counts of lying to a parliamentary committee.SINGAPORE – Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh is unlikely to lose his parliamentary seat due to the outcome of his criminal case, though there will likely be an impact at the ballot box, said legal experts and political watchers.

This is “based on the evidence presently available and considering the totality of the circumstances”. This means that even if Singh was sentenced to the maximum fine of $7,000 for each of the two offences he was charged with, he would not meet the threshold to be disqualified. He added: “No one should go away thinking that will be disqualified as an MP, or disqualified from running in an election. I am not saying it is a guarantee, but he is not under any real risk.”However, SMU Assistant Professor of Law Benjamin Joshua Ong said Singh could still face jail time if the courts decide that is appropriate, as they are not bound by the prosecution’s arguments and can decide on a higher or lower sentence.

As he is WP’s leader, any possible fallout for Singh is also something that the party will have to shoulder as it goes into electoral battle, he noted. While the case could energise WP’s supporters to rally around the political underdog, Dr Koh said it could cause further doubt among voters in constituencies WP might be trying to expand into.

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